Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-09

ABOVE iIlht llntt lhuS ptiiilhihb
nopolies to be formed to arbitrarily
raise prices to the consumer without
benefting the laborer. We think it
the imperative duty Of Congress to re-
duce the tariff so as to prevent the pos
sibility of monopoly combinations to
put up prices above competing point;
Respecting your proposition to sub
nit the measure proposed by us to
caucus of our political friends, "all
parties to be bound by such action as 1t
may take upon the subjects to which
the bill relates" is one, it seems to us,
that ought not to be asked The ques-
ton is not a political question: is
not a party question-for Republicans
differ On it as do Democrats. The dif-
ferences between us are not political
differences, but differences on impor-
tapt economic and industrial questions,
and we submit that it is not usual in
either party, nor right to attempt to
bind men by caucus action on such
questions, and thereby not only take
from them their right and duty to act
in accordance with their own con-
yictions, but compel them to act
contrary to their obligations as
faithful representatives of the people
who have sent them here. These, too,
are the very matters respecting which
we ere attempting to effect compro-
mise. In lieu, therefore, OF caucus
we suggest that committee, composed
of members representing the different
phases of the question involved III
the two measures under discus
sion, should be appointed to take
ND these differences in a spirit OF fair
ness, with view of coming together
on measure that all can support,
without either side being called upon
to surrender convictions, or to prove
derelict in their duty to their CON
stituents. We urge the suggestion of
conference more because many of the
gentlemen acting with us in the matter
Of internal taxes do not agree on az
matters pertaining to the tariff.
In accordance with your fourth sug-
cestion, that in case no other arrange
ment is arrived at, upon reasonable
notice n motion be made to go into
Committee of the Whole on Bill 9702,
introduced by Mr.. Randall at the last
session Of Congress, We have to say
that due notice will be given of the
time when it is proposed TO make such
motion, 50 that it may be generally
known.
We cannot, however, close this COM
munication without expressing again
the hope that an agreement on mea-
sure which our political friends can
generally support is not yet impossible.
ANOTHER LETTER TO SPEAKER CARLISLE.
WASHINGTON, February S.-The fol-
lowing letter was to-day sent to Speaker
Carlisle:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. 8, 1897,
lion. John q. Carlisle, Speaker Of
the UOa8e Of Representatives.:
Dear Sir,-We regret exceedingly
that you could not see your way clear
to give recognition. on yesterday to
some Democrat to enable him "tO
move to suspend the rules for the pur-
pose of giving the House an opportu-
nty of considering the question of the
total repeal of the internal-revenue
tax on tobacco" Your refusal to give
this recognition, together with your
letter of the 7th instant, deserves
more than "a passing notice. II two
thirds or more of the House are in
favorof such a repeal it was a grave re-
sponsibility for you TO oppose such a
large majority of representatives Of
the people. Assuming, however, for
the sake of argument, that the friends
Of the proposition constitute aless num-
her than two thirds, their strength Is
certainly such that they ought to have
been permitted to test the sense OF
the House upon the question, espe-
cially since the country is watching
with intense interest the action of the
House in regard thereto, and the con-
stituents of large number of the mem
bers of the House have been urging
them to obtain, if possible, the CON
sidcratiOn of this subject. We do not
wish to be misunderstood. We desired,
from a party standpoint, that a recog-
milton should have been given to a
Democrat TO make the motion, but We
would vote cheerfully for the PROPOSE
ton, whether made 10y a Democrat or
by a Republican.
You assume in yOur letter TO us that
we ignored your communication OF the
81 instant, and had deliberately failed
to make a response thereto. Our friends
did not have an opportunity of cOnsid-
eiing that communication until Friday
evening the 4th instant. 1t was OF such
a character as 20 require more than a
formal reply. We called at your hotel
the next day Saturday, but through
no fault Of yours or ours we
did not succeed in obtaining an
interview until the day after.
We believed that the friends of the re-
peal of the tobacco tax were so strong
IN the House that we would save TO the
oppressed taxpayers of this country an
annual reduction of taxation to the ex-
tent of S2S.000,000 if the motion for
.he repeal could be made in the House
on Monday Of this week, the latest day
when such motion, to be effective I'M
der the rules, would be in order during
the Forty-ninth Congress. The motion,
if made during the last six days of the
session, would almost certainly be too
late to secure favorable consideration
for the question in the Senate.
We did not anticipate a refusal Of
recognition for the purpose intended.
We understood you to say to us YER
bally that if you gave to any one of our
friends the desired recognition, fair
play all around would require you to
give other Democrats an opportunity to
make a like motion to pass some dis
tinct proposition having relation to a
reduc&n of tariff duties. To this
we assented You instanced as
one such proposition the putting
Of salt on the free list. We
think that revision of the tariff and
Of the internal-revenue laws can be
attained from time to time by reform
ing the obvious and greater grievances
Of the two systems, and that we should
not refuse to make such reforms be-
cause sweeping changes have been prac-
ticable. The country is expecting to
obtain from this Congress a relief from
grievOus burdens of taxation. II some
Of us cannot get all we want we